Someone Cares
 
The story is told of a man who fell by the wayside. Two religious men passed by him. Perhaps they had duties to attend to and felt they had no time to stop. Maybe they thought the man was beneath them. Why should they dirty their garments for someone they did not even know?
 
Yet someone cares.
 
Just the other day I received a missed call on my mobile phone. To cut a long story short, the person apologised because they had passed the bus stop and could not pick me up. As I thought about it, I realised something. I like my independence, and unlike the man in the Bible who fell among thieves, I was not lying helpless on the roadside. But at least they cared enough to phone me.
 
Someone cares.
 
In today’s society things have not changed much. People are often caught up in their own lives. If they are not pulling someone down, they are sometimes talking behind their back. Sadly, this can even happen in Christian circles. When someone falls away or backslides, it can become the talk of the town.
 
I remember an issue once in a church that, if not handled properly, could have split the church in two. I asked a brother to pray with me about it. He refused and said, “I will not pray about the pastor behind his back.” Yet at the same time he was involved in actions that were indeed taking place behind the pastor’s back.
 
It reminds me of the old saying: give a dog a bad name and it will stick. Another saying tells us that where there is smoke there must be fire. But it is always wise to give someone the benefit of the doubt, because once a lie has been spoken it is not easily forgotten. At the same time we must remember not to believe everything we hear.
 
The Lord Jesus warned us to be careful what we hear, for as we judge others, so we shall be judged. The Bible speaks about a word called mercy. The dictionary describes mercy as compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender. It is pity, kindness, and evidence of divine favour.